Eleven businesses in Richmond’s East End are the latest recipients of supportive grants from a nonprofit development program, it has been announced.

A total of $140,000 was distributed to the local businesses through the Supporting East End Entrepreneurship Development or SEED program, boosting the total distributed since SEED’s launch in 2011 to more than $1 million

Eight recipients received grants for the first time: Dear Neighbor art and gift shop, Fat Rabbit bakery, the Kitchen on Wellington, Sweet Temptations dessert shop, Ms. Girlee’s Kitchen, Ocean World Seafood Market and Bono’s Caribbean Cuisine.

The other three businesses, Wheel Simple Bicycle Repair, Second Bottle Wine and Snack Shop and Spotty Dog Ice Cream, had received grants in previous years.

Bon Secours teamed with the Virginia office of the Local Initiative Support Corp. to start the program 13 years ago to support economic development and job creation in Church Hill and Fulton.

InUnison, previously known as the Retail Merchants Association, has since 2019 administered the program that also provides grants to small businesses along Hull Street and Commerce Road in the Manchester area of South Side.

Mike Lutes, market president, Bon Secours Richmond, stated in joining the two partners in announcing the awards.

“The SEED program has been a catalyst for positive change in the East End,” said Mike Lutes, market president of Bon Secours Richmond, “and we are thrilled to celebrate, with our partners, InUnison and LISC Virginia, that the total investment in has now surpassed $1 million.”

The winners were selected by a panel that included Scott Aronson, co-owner of Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods; Lester Johnson, president of Mama J’s res- taurant in Jackson Ward; Duncan Thomas, president of Carsource Inc.; Lisa McSherry, owner of a dress shop and apothecary in Carytown; and Shekinah Mitchell, Bon Secours’ director of neighborhood engagement.

After making the awards, Bon Secours stated the SEED program will temporarily halt new awards to conduct of surveys and interviews to ensure that program is fulfilling its mission.